Human Rights Summit Empowers Youth to Change the World

16th annual Human Rights Summit of Youth for Human Rights International brings together young delegates representing 45 nations with UN ambassadors and leaders of civil society to support their work and enable them to accomplish their goals for a just, fair and sustainable future.

Hope and accomplishment—these were common themes that played out in the opening session of the 16th annual Human Rights Summit, broadcast live June 27 from United Nations Headquarters Conference Room 4
 in New York. The program, organized by Youth for Human Rights International, was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations, with cosponsorship by the Permanent Missions to the UN of Ghana, Moldova, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

 

In his videoed message to the Youth Delegates, Nobel Peace Laureate José Manuel Ramos-Horta, former President of East Timor, urged them to continue their mission to make human rights a reality.

The Summit featured the Youth for Human Rights International Human Rights Hero Awards, acknowledging those whose courage and determination has raised the bar on human rights in their respective nations and communities.

The 16th annual International Human Rights Summit emphasizes the importance of raising awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It presents a view of the historic impact of the UDHR. And it provided the educational resources needed to ensure its implementation across the globe.

Youth delegates and ambassadors who attend are selected based on their stellar accomplishments in resolving conflicts, fostering gender equality and addressing human trafficking and other urgent violations of human rights in their countries. 

The Summit provided youth with the opportunity to network with other young human rights activists and to benefit from the experience of officials and NGOs from around the world who share their commitment to accomplishing equality and justice through human rights education. 

Workshops helped youth delegates and ambassadors increase their communication and administrative skills to enable them to accomplish their goals.

Over the past 16 years, the Summit has evolved into a platform to establish international partnerships and friendships with delegates from more than 70 countries. 

Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is the youth component of United for Human Rights(UHR). It is a global nonprofit organization founded in 2001 with the purpose to teach youth about the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights to inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace.

UHR has now grown into a global movement with over 150 chapters and its educational materials, translated into 27 languages, bring the message of human rights to 195 nations. The Youth for Human Rights public service announcements and The Story of Human Rights educational film air on several hundred television stations in dozens of countries each year.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights and make their educational materials available free of charge. For more information visit the Scientology website or Scientology.tv.